Railway grade-crossing gate



- c. w. HALL RAILWAY GRADE CROSSING GATE Filed Sept. 13, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 26 1924. 1,484,943

c. w. HALL RAILWAY GRADE CROSSING GATE Filed Sent. 13, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 C-MHMZ Feb. 26, 1924. 1,484,943 C. W; HALL v RAILWAY GRADE CROSSING GATE Filed Sept. 13, 1923 3 Sheets Sheet 5 6. W HallomLEs w. HALL, or rarnonron', wns r VIRGINIA.

' RAILWAY snann-onossrns GATE.

Application filed September 13, 1923. Serial No. $552,573.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that 1, CHARLES HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Princeton, in the county of Mercer and State ofVVest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Grade-Crossing Gates, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to grade crossing gates for railroads and electric railway lines, and the main object is to construct gate so that it is closed and opened automatically by a passing train.

For this reason the gate is provided with a motor, the switch of which is normally closed and remains closed upon a train entering the block where the gate is positioned, said switch, however, opening automatically to disconnect the motor as soon as.

the gate has been lowered.

Another object of the invention isto hold the gate securely in lowered. position until the train passes out of the gate is immediately opened and the closed. e

In the accompanying drawings, one embodiment of the invention is illustrated, and- Figure 1 is a diagram of the circuit connected with the rails for automaticall-yoperating the gate;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the gate in open position;

Figure 3 is a section along line 3 3 of. Figure2;

Figure 1 is a side elevation and partial section showing the gate closed; 7

Figure 5 is a section along line 5 -5 of Figure 3, and-- V y j c Figur 6 is a side elevation of a switch for the motor.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 10 represents a stand forming bearings for a horizontal shaft 11 upon which a gate beam 12 is rigidly mounted. The gate beam has a counter-weight 13 tending to maintain the same, in upright} position. The shaft 11 extends through the stand and on the extending portion .is secured a brake drum 1 1. On the stand 10is secured, 'asat 15, one end of a brake band 16 surrounding the drum but standing normally free therefrom. The other end of the brake hand car ries a projecting arm 17 whichis preferably made of soft iron to form an armatnreffor.

switch block when the an electro-magnet 18 which is rigidly mounted on the stand 10 in the path of the arm 17. 1

Outside of the drum 14 is keyed on the shaft 11 a lever 19. This lever extends in both directions diametrically across the drum and the end shown uppermost in Figs/2 and 3' carries a finger 20 extending transversely in the direction of the stand 10 so as to engag with the arm 17 when the gate beam- 12 is lowered. The other end of the lever 19 is provided with an abutment 21 also projecting inwardly from the lever and intended to contact with the end of a switch 22 to throw the same out when the gate beam is nearing is lowered position. The switch 22 is normally closed by a spring 23, or in any other suitable manner (see Figure 6). At 2 is shown a frame bolted to the stand 10, as at 25, and preferably engaging, as at 26, the outer end of the shaft 11. Upon this frame is mounted an electric motor 27. The motor shaft carries a pinion 28 between which and a gear wheel 29 revolubly mounted on the free end of th shaft 11, is inserted a train of gears 30 in order to reduce the motor speed suiiiciently for lowering the gate beam 12 slowly. The gear wheel 29 carries a spring dog 14 engaging with a ratchet wheel 45 keyed at the free end of the shaft 11. In this manner the shaft 11 may be turned by the gear wheel 29 when the motor is running while the shaft 10 is free to rotate while the motor is standing. It is evident that instead of the train of gears for operating theshaft 11 a silent chain drive or similar transmission may be used- V v At 31'is shown a pair of signaling lamps for indicating the closed position of the gate.

Referring more particularly to Figure 1 of the drawings, reference numerals 32 and 33 represent a pair of rails in the block of a track where the gateis positioned. These rails'are insulated, as at 34:. The rail 33 shown connected, as. at'35, by a live wire 36 with a source of electric power. The other rail 82 is connected with the switch 22 by means of a conductor 37 and another conductor 38 connects the switch with the motor 27 The motor is grounded, as at 39, by means of a conductor 4:0. This constitutes the main circuit. A shunt connection for the electro-magnet 18 is indicated by conducof the track, the wheels and axle 43 of thetors 41 and 42 connected to the above described main. circuit. The operation of the gate isas follows: The gate beam 12 actuated by the counterweight 13 is normally in raised position as indicated in Figures 2, 3 and 5 when the switch 22 is closed and the brake 16 free. As soon as a train enters the insulated block train close the gap between the rails forming the main circuit so that current runs from the wire 36, rail 33, axle 43, rail 32, conductor 3?, through the switch 22 and ,7 from there over the conductor 38 to the motor 27 and back to ground over the conductor 40. The motor 27 is then immediatelystarted and through the intermediary of the gears 28 30, 29 and the shaft 11 is I turned, thus swinging the gate beam 12 into lowered position. The brake drum 142: and

the lever 19 are simultaneously rotated and when the gate isnearing its lowered position 'the finger 20 will contact with the arm 17,

thereby gradually tightening the brake band 16 around the drum 14-. so that by the time upward direction, it reaches the switch 22 drum nearly at the same time as the armature 17 is attracted by the electro-magnet 18 thus opening the switch and breaking the main circuit to the motorr27 which will thenimmediately stop. As, however, the shunt circuit remains .closed by the wheels and axle 43 of the train, the electro-magnet '18 retains its hold upon the armature 17 and keeps the brake in operation. 7 I As soon as the train has left the block and the wheels and axle 4E3 of the last car pass beyond the insulations 34, the gap between the rails 32 and 33 is no current will 18. The latter is accordingly immediately demagnetized and releases the armature 17 when the brake band 16 springs into open position andthe counter-weight 13 thereupon brings the gate beam into raised position as indicated in Figures2, 3 and'5, the shaft 11 then revolving freely with respect to the gear wheel 29. 7 "It is evident that instead of the'brake drum having an external band as shown in the drawings, an internally operated brake may be used. i The lamps 31 are in the same circuit as the magnet 18 so that as long as 'the magnet is Simultaneously, the

again opened so that passto the electro-magnet b is claimed as new is: e

r 1. In a railway gate, the combination with an insulated block of rails; of a weighted gate beam standing normally in upright position, a motor adapted to lower said gate beam, a main circuit including a switch for said motor and connected with a source of power, said rails providing a gap in said c1rcu1t,'an element connected with said beam for opening said main switch when the beam is in lowered position, and a brake actuated by said element to hold the beam in lowered position.

2. In a railway gate, the combination with an 'insulated'block of rails; of a weighted gate beam standing normally in upright position, a motor adapted to lower-said gate beam, a main circuit including aswitch for said motor and connected with a source of power, said, rails providing a gap'in said circuit, an element connected with said beam for opening said main switch when the beam is in lowered position, means retaining the beam in said lowered position, and a brake actuated by said element when said beam'is in lowered position. i

3. In a railway gate, thecombination with an insulated block of rails; of a weighted gate beam standingnormally in upright po-' sition, a motor adapted to lower said gate beam, a main circuit including a switch for said motor and connected with a'source of power, said rails providing a gap in said circuit, an element connected with said beam for opening said main switch when the beam is'in lowered position, means retaining, the; beam in sald lowered position, sald means including a shunt circuit actuated by saidmain circuit, an electro-magnet in the shunt circuit, an armature mounted on said gate'beam, and a brake actuated by said element when said'beam is in lowered position.

4c, Ina railway gate, the combination with an insulated block of rails; 'of a weighted gate beamstanding normally inupright po; sition, a motor adapted to lower said gate eam, a main circuit including a switch for said motor and connected with a sourceof power, said, railsproviding a gap in said circuit; a shaft'u'pon which saidbeam is secured, [an arm fixedly mounted on the. shaft, an abutment on the arm adapted to engage said switch a moment before the lowered position thereby opening said switch, and a brake inserted between said arm and said shaft.

i 5. In a railway gate,the combination with an insulated block of rails; of a weighted gate beam standing normally in upright p0- siti'on, a motor adapted to lower said gate.

beam, a main circuit including a switch for 1 ,aeapae said motor and connected with a source of power, said rails providing a gap in said circuit; a shaft upon which said beam is secured, an arm fixedly mounted on the shaft, an abutment on the arm adapted to engage said switch to open the same a moment before the lowered position of said beam has been reached, a brake inserted between said arm and said shaft, said brake including a drum united with said shaft, and a brake band for said drum actuated by said arm.

6. In a railway gate, the combination with an insulated block of rails; of a weighted gate beam standing normally in upright position, a motor, a main circuit including a switch for said motor connected with a source of power, said rails providing a gap in said circuit; a shaft upon which said beam is secured, a train of gears between said motor and said shaft, an arm fixedly mounted on the shaft, an abutment on the arm adapted to engage said switch to open the same a moment before the lowered position of said beam has been reached, a brake inserted between said arm and said shaft, said brake including a drum united with said shaft, a brake band for said drum actuated by said arm, an electro-magnet, an

armature on said brake band, and a shuntcircuit for said electro-magnet connected with said main circuit; whereby a train in said block will close the gap in the main circuit starting said motor through the intermediary of said gears and said shaft to lower said gate beam, said arm being simultaneously swung to open said switch and apply said brake while said electro-magnet attracts the armature to hold the gate beam in lowered position.

7 In a railway gate, the combination with an insulated block of rails; of a gate beam adapted to stand normally in upright position, a circuit including a switch connected with a source of power, said rails providin a gap in said circuit, an element connected with said beam for opening said switch when the beam is in lowered position, and a brake actuated by said element to retain the beam in said position.

In testimony whereof I CHARLES W. HALL. [1 s.]

affix my signature. 

